Railway bootleg



Nov. 8, 1932. M, NYDER 1,887,249

RAILWAY BOOTLEG Filed Aug. 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

INVENTOR I f R S I? a e r,

Nov. 8,1932. M. R. sN DER 1,887,249

RAILWAY BOOTLEG Filed Aug. 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5.

" CUR-W Nov. 8, 1932. M. R. SNYDER 1,387,249

RAILWAY BOOTLEG Filed Aug. 20. 1929 4 sheets-sheet a 25a 24 51 Fly. .4 22

NOV. 8 1932, M, R SNYDER 1,887,249

RAILWAY BOOTLEG Fi led Aug. 20. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4P3 INVENTOR'.

,R.5n yder,

Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNIT-E1 XTATES .IvIIIiLS ROGER SNYDER,OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, KSSIGNOR T UNION =S"WITCH&

SIGNAL COMPANY, 0'5 SEVISSVAIIE, 'BENI TQYLVANEA, 1. CORPORATION OF PEN'N- S'Y'I'EVANIA Application filed August '20, 11-929.

My invention relates to railway bootlegs,

that is, to devicesrfor connecting electric con- (luctors' witlrthe 'tracln rails of a railway, 'for use iirrailway signaling: and autom-atiotrain control. 4

"I will descrrbe'several iormsuof'rbootlegs embodying my invention andwill thenpoint .out the novel-features thereof inrcla'ims.

In :the accompanying drawings, .Fig. .1 is

: a'-vieW,-partly :inelevatiomand ;partly: crosssectioned, showing .one zttorm of'ibootlegembodying-my invention. iFig.r2iisza-'top plan view of a'portion :of ithe Lbootleg shown; in Fig. 11. Fig. "3Tis sid-e:eleva'tion .of-a: portion ofthe bootleg shown sin :Eig.j-1. .Eig. ftzis --a sectional -view showing a (modified form of bootleg, embodying-myinvention. :Fig. '5 isa top: plan View otthebootlg-fishown in ber forming apart Qfw. the bootleg-illustrated 'inzFig. 4. Fig.9 isatviewepartly'inrelevation andpartly'cross-seetioned howing'anothermodified form ofbootleg, also embodyingimy invention. Fig. 107iS'11'ViBWfShOW- ingin side elevation,- at'portion of I the bootleg illustrated in 'Fig.-9. :Fig. His-a bottom view-of a contact member forming-apart of the bootleg :shownin :Fig.:9. Fig. -12is-a -vi-ew,'pa'rtly in elevationand :partlycrosssectioned, :showing still another modified form ofsbootleg, alsoxeinbod-yin-g my invention.

Similarreferenee characters refer; to similar partsin. each of-the severalaviews.

Refer-ring first tOrFigS. 1; Qand 3, the boot- 'leg'co-rnprises a suitable-housing such as a concrete structure 1, the lower end of "which will he enibed'ded 'in the ground,=- andthe upper-endo-fwhich uvill project above the surztace of ithe ground. "As 'here shown, the structure l'isitapered-toward itstop,-and is provided :with a vertically extending cen trally located hole .2 through-which an insulatechconducto-r 3 is brought up from the ground.

)Mounted on-the-upperend oftthe structure L is u top platelet,v preferably of. metal, having Serial No. 1387126.

.two integral lugs ,4 and 4!, as best seen.in

2. The lug 4 is provided with a vertically-extending holee andthe lug :iiis provided with-a similar hole 1 Extending upwardlythrouglrthe holes 4 and 4 are two studs. 5,.thelower-ends of which. are. anchored in the concre te structure .1, and theupper-ends of which arethreaded toreceivenutsb by means: of which-the top plate is securely fastoned .to:the,structure l.

.Thetop plate & carries atorininal structure 3'15 and-l6:whichfitsnugly over the ends ofthe bushing on. opposite-sides- Of! the'top .plateA. An annular. shoulder. 6 integrahwiththe ter- :minal 2 post '6 t on the .upper side i of the top vplate -engagesthe upper face of the :insulating washer 16, so that when a nut l7 screwed. onto the lowerend of. the shank 6 is tightened, the terminal ,post is securely clamped to'thetop plate ,4. Interposedbe tween the nut,1.7 and 'theinsulatingwasher .is a loch-:washeri1-9- a11d a :plain washer 18. The plain washer 18-dist-ributes the pressure evenly overthe insulating washer 15 while -"the.loek washer l9 -prevents the-nut 17-froin working loosedue-to vibration.

The-lower end 6. of-the terminalpost 6 has smallerdiameterethan-the shank (S et-the :terminalrpost; and is-threaded to reoeive'nuts :20. (See Figs. :1 and 3). The'insulation is removed from the uppen end of the conductor 3, andtheexposedenld 3 of the conductori3 is coiled; around theend 6 of the-terminal'post- 6 between thenuts20 and the shanlc6 so-that when thenll iS 20 are tightened the conductor 3 is -electricallylconnected with theterminal post.

The upper end: of the terininal'post 6' is provided with an elongated head-6 which isinelined at an angle with-the horizontal as best seen in Fig. 3. This head isprovided with ana-Xial-openingt ad-apt-edto receive the end 8 and 9 are screwed through spaced threaded" holes :6 and 6 in the left hand side of the head 6 as viewed in F-igs l and 2-,and a similar set screw 7 is screwed through a threaded hole 6 in the right hand side of the head. The set screws 7 8 and 9 each engage the connector 10, and are provided withlocknuts 13, 12 and 11, respectively, which prevent the set screws from working loose after theyare tightened. 1 i

' Referring now to Figs. 4 to' 8, inclusive ,'I ha'vehere shown a top plate 21 which is simi- 'lar to the top plate 4 illustrated in Fig. 1, and-which maybe attached to the structure 1 in the same manner astdescr'ibed'in connection with the'top plate'4 in Fig.1. 1 The top plate '21 carries a' terminal structureB comprising a lower contact m'embe'r '22andan upper contact member-'23. The lower contact member '22 is "provided with two holes 22 and 22"which are'coaxial with two holes 21 and'21 respectively, in'the top plate 21.

Extending upwardly through the holes 21 and '22 is abolt 2.4,and extending'npwardly through'holes 21 and 22 is,a' similar bolt 25. A nut 24 is screwed on the bolt 24 above the contact member 22 and. is, prevented from working loose by a lock 'washe'r 30 interposed between the nut and th'e contactmember. A similar nut 25fis likewise sc're'wed on the bolt 25 above the contact member 22 and is locked in place by a lock washer 31" interposedfbe- 4 tween the nut and the contact member; An insulatingfsleeve 26' surrounds the shank of the bolt 24 where it passes through'the top plate 21, and a similar insulating sleeve '27 "surrounds'zthe' shank of the bolt 25 where it passes through the top plate 21: An insulating washer 28 locatedflb'etween the top plate 21 and member 22' is-provided with holes which receive.- snugly the upper ends of sleeves 26 and -27.' "1 similar-washer 29 is located on the under side "of theftop'plate 21 and fits snugly over the'lower ends'of the sleeves '26'and- 27; The insulating sleeves and insulating washers insulate the lower contact member fromthe top plate 21.

The contact member 22 is also provided, on its lower face, with a projection 22, and on its upper face with a transverse ridge 22 As best seen in Fig. 8, the projection 22 is cylindrical, and this projection extends downwardly through a hole 21 in the top plate 21 and through suitable holes in the in sul ating washers 29 and28. "The contact member 22 is further provided with a hole 22 which extends vertically through" the -ridge 22" and the projection 22, and which is adapted to receive a terminal post 36. The portion of the hole 22 which extends upwardly through the ridge 22 is square, as best in Fig. 7, and engages the head of the terminal post 36 to prevent the terminal post from turningwith respect to the contact member 22. A nut 38 screwed on the lower end of the terminal post 36 clamps the terminal post .to the contact member 22.- The exposed upperend 3 of the conductor 3.is twisted around the terminal post 36 betweentwo washers 39 and is fastened to the terminal post by means of two nuts 37,170 provide electrical connectionbetween the conductor 3 and thecontact structure B.

a "'--The upper contact member 23 is mounted on the upper ends of the bolts 24 and 25. and

is provided with holes 23 and 23", which receive the bolts 24 and 25, respectively. I The contact member 23 is provided in its 'lower face with *a transverse groove 23 (see Fig.

erable, force torsecure good. electrical contact between the" connectorand the contact members. -=A lock= washer 32 'isinterriosedbetweentheuniit 24 and the contact memberL23.

and a' similar loclr washer 33 is interposed between'the nut 25 and the contact member 23 to-prevent thenuts 24 and 25 from working loose E A set screw 34 is screwed'through the member'23- into engagement with the connector 10. -'A 1' am nuti35 on the set screw;34

prevents the set screw 34 from working loose --afterthe set-screw has been tightened. i

'Referrii'rg now toFigs. 9 to 11, inclusive,

"the modified form of bootleghere shown comprises a' terminal' structure C mounted on a top plateeg similar to the top plate 4 shown in Fig. *1. Theterminal structure G comprises a terminal post 41* provided with a shank-41, which extendsthrough the top plate 40, andia shoulder 41 located above the top plate 40. The shank 41 is threaded (see Fig.-10) andreceives the nut-17, by means of-Whi'ch the terminal'post is fastened in place. 1 'For"convenience in holding the terminal post 4l while the nut 17' is being tightened. the shoulder 41" is made hexagonal.

The terminal post 41 is insulated from the top plate 40 by an insulating'bushing 14 and insulating washers 15 and 16 which aresimilar to the insulating bushing and insulating washers by means of which the terminal post 6 in Fig.1 insulated from the top plate 4. The lower end 41 of the terminal past 41 has smaller diameter than the shank 41 of the terminal post and is threaded to receive the nuts 20 which electrisesame cal'ly and mechanically iasten'the'conduct'or 3 to the terminal structure. The upper end 41! of the terminal post is gevided witjlif a transverse opening 41*, (see ig. '10) which terminates at each end in a semhcirc'ula'r groovefor'rned in the up er faice of the shoul- 'd-er' ll"; The connector TO extends through the opening 41 and is engaged at its upper side by a contact member 42 whichfits loosely overthe terminal post a n'd which, as best seen in Fig; 11, is provided with a tran verse: circular groove 42* adapted to align with'fthe groov'c in the upper face of the shoulder 41 A nut 44 screwed 'on'tiie upper end 41 of the tenninal post, clamps the contact member 42 against the connector 10 with considerable force to provide good electrical connection between the; connector and the terminal structure; 'A' look, washer 43, interposed between the nub le and neinberdfi', prevents the nut from working loose. To insure good connection between the terminal structure and the connector 10', a set' screw 4'5 is screwed 'into 'engage'ment with thenonneotori'lo through a threaded axial hole 41 in the upper end oi the terminal ost 41. i

Under 'some'conditions, it is' desirable to bring the conductor 3 up fronithe ground through a pipe'ii', as shown inFig: 12 instead of through the concrete structured asshown in Fig. 1. Under these conditions; the terniina-l structure here shown as the terminal structure (l, OI Fig; 9, may bemounted on a top plate ih'which is provided with a downwardly turned flange 4'6 carryingtaset screw 48. The top plate 46 and flange 46 form a cap which fits overt-he top'of the pi e 47 in a mannerwhi'ch' prevents moisture from entering the pipe. It will he apparent that when the set screw 48 is tightened, the top plate 46 is se'cl-lrely fastened on top of the pipev fl 1 y f One advantage of a bootleg embodying my inventionis-thatd'ue 't-o the'large contact-surface which is provided between the rail connector 10 and the terminal stru'etur'e good electrical connection between the connector 'itlltllllfiielllllllfil structure is insured.

Another advantage of abootlegeinbodying my invention is that the mechanical connection between the rail conneetor and the'terininal structure is rigid and the parts are constructed in such in'anner' that they will not become loosened due to vibration. Still another advantage of a bootleg embodying my invention is that all adjustments ofthe parts may be made with an ordinary wrencln and no special tools are required.

Although I have herein shown and described only a few forms of bootlegs einbodying' my inventioln it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departin from the spirit and scope of my invention- Ha'i'iillg thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A bootlegf'or connecting an electric conductor with a rail connector, coin-prising a hoiising projecting upwardly from the ground and enclosing said conductor, atop plate attached to said housing, aternoinal structure extending through but insulated from said top plate and clamped to said top plate and provided with an opening to re ceive the rail connector and with means for electrical connection with the upper end of said conductor, and a set screw extending int-o'sai'd opening for engaging said rail conn'ec'tor to secure said rail connector to said structure and to insure good electrical contact between said structure and s'aidrailconnector.

v 21 A- ho'otleg for connecting an electric" conduster with arail connector, comprising a housing projecting upwardly from the ground and enclosing the conductor, a top plate attached to said housing, a terminal post having its shank (intending through said top plate and having an annular shoulder loeatecl above saidtopplat'e'and rovided with an" opening above said topplate adapted'to receive said rail connector, anut screwed on said sha'nl'r'on the underside of'said' top plate for'cla'rnping's'aid terminal post to said top plate-means fo 'insulating said terminal post 'i rein said top plate, ine'ansintegral withsaid terminal postfo'r' iast'eningithe upper end of saicl-eendueter'with said terminal pest, and a set screw; in saidterminal post engaging said cenneeter' for securely fastening said rail 'con'nect'or to saidf'terininal "pest.

duster with-"a rail connector, colnp'risi'nga housing projecting upwardly from the ground and enclosing the conductor, a top plate attached to said housing, a terminal pest-having its shank'e'ittending through said top plate and provided with an annular shoulder above said top plate and with an elongated head abeve' said shoulder and also having threaded'l'ower end 'of smaller di ameter than said'sliankm-nut serewed'ensaid head" into said hole and the other screwed Aboot'leg'fo'r cennectin aneleetric conthrough the other side of saidhead into said hole for engaging said rail connector to clamp said connector to said terminal post, and three lock nuts one secured on each set screw for locking said set screws in place.

4. A bootleg for connecting an electric conductor with a rail connector, comprising a housing projecting upwardly from the ground and enclosing the conductor, a top plateattached to said housing, a firstcontact member clampedagainst the upper side of said top plate but insulated therefrom and having a downward projection extending through said top plate and having a hole extending through said member and said proj ection, a terminal post extending through said holeandprovided on its lower, end with nuts for connecting the exposed upper end of said conductor with said first contact memher, said first contact member also bein provided inits upper face with a groove adapted to receive said rail connector, 'a second contact nemberyandmeans for clamping said second contact member against said rail eon nector ,to electrically and mechanically, connect said contact members with said connector;

5. A bootleg; for connecting an electric ber also beingprovided in its-upper face with a groove adapted to receive a'railco'nnector, a second contact memherjprovided with a groove aligned with the groove in said first'contaet .member, means-for clamping said second member against saidrail connec tor-to electrically and mechanically connect said two contact members with said; connector, and a set'screw threaded through said second contact plate into engagementwith said connector to hold said connector, in place.

6. A bootleg for connecting an electric conductor with a rail connector, comprising a housing projecting upwardly from the ground and enclosing the conductor, atop plate attached to said housing, a terminal structure comprising a first contact member having a projection extending downwardly through said top plate, two bolts extending upwardly through said top plate and said first contact member, two insulating sleeves one on each bolt where said bolt passes through said top plate, two insulating washers one between said first contact members and said top plate and the other between the heads of said bolts and said top plate, two

nuts one screwed on each bolt for clamping said first contact members to said top plate,

a terminal post extending downwardly through said first contact plate and provided with nuts for connecting the post with the vupper end of said conductor, a second contact member mounted on said bolts above said first contact members, said first contact I member being provided on its upper face with a ridge having a groove and said second contact member being provided 1n its lower face with a similar groove which is aligned with the groove in said first member to form an opening for receiving said rail connector, additional nuts on said bolts above said second contact member for clamping said connector between said contact members and a set screw threaded through said second contact member to grip said connector and lock said connector in place.

7., A'bootleg for connecting an electric conductor with a. rail connector, comprising a housing projecting upwardly from the ground and enclosing the conductor, a top plate attached to said housing, a terminal post having its shank extending through said top plate and havinga'shoulder located above I said top plate and provided with a transverse first nut screwed on said'terminal post above said contact member for clamping said contact member against said connector, a set screw extending downwardly through said terminal post into engagement with said con- .nector to insure good mechanical connection between said connector and said terminal post, a second nut screwed on said shank on the underside of said top plate for clamping said terminal post-to said top plate, means for insulating said terminal post from said top plate, and means integral with said terminal post for fastening the end of said conductor to said terminal post.

8. A bootleg for connecting an electric conductor with a rail connector, comprising a pipe projecting upwardly from the ground and enclosing the conductor, a top plate provided with a downwardly turned flange and fitting over said pipe, a first set screw screwed into engagement with said pipe through said flange for fastening said top plate to said pipe, a terminal post having its shank extending through said top plate and having a shoulder located above said top plate and provided with a transverse opening terminating at each end in a groove formed in the upper face of said shoulder, said groove and said opening being adapted to receive said rail con nector, a contact member fitting loosely over said terminal post above said rail connector and provided with a groove in its lower face adapted to receive said connector on each side of said post, a first nut screwed on said terminal post above said contact member for w clamping said contact member against said conductor, a set screw extending downwardly through said terminal post into engagement with said connector to insure good mechanical connection between said connector and said terminal post, a second nut screwed on said shank on the underside of said top plate for clamping said terminal post to said top plate, means for insulating said terminal post from said top plate, and means integral with said terminal post for fastening the upper end of said conductor with said terminal post.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

M. ROGER SNYDER. 

